Lake Khövsgöl

One of the most beautiful lakes in Mongolia is Lake Khövsgöl. By volume and size, Lake Khövsgöl is the second-largest freshwater lake in Mongolia. It is situated about 200 kilometers west of Lake Baikal's southern tip, close to Mongolia's northern border. The "Younger sister" of those two "sister lakes" is how people refer to it.

At the base of the eastern Sayan Mountains in northwest Mongolia, close to the Russian border, sits Lake Khuvsgul. It is 136 kilometers long, 262 meters deep, and 1,645 meters above sea level. Nearly 70% of Mongolia's fresh water and 0.4% of the world's freshwater are contained in this lake, which is the second-largest freshwater lake in Asia. At the lake's southernmost point is the village of Hatgal.

Its name, "Mongolian Blue Pearl," refers to its crystal-clear, azure seas. Lake Khövsgöl, a haven for numerous birds and other animals, is a true haven. There are many mountain ranges surrounding the lake. The highest mountain is Bürenkhaan/Mönkh Saridag (3,492 meters), whose peak is located precisely on the border between Russia and Mongolia to the north of the lake. The lake entirely freezes over in the winter, and the ice cover is sturdy enough to support large trucks. Transport routes on the lake's surface provide alternatives to the regular highways. To stop both oil spills and trucks breaking through the ice from polluting the lake, this practice has been outlawed.

Location: near the northern border of Mongolia